The Prologue + 

The Sompnour in his stirrups high he stood, + 

Upon this Friar his heartë was so wood, + 

That like an aspen leaf he quoke for ire: + 

“Lordings,” quoth he, “but one thing I desire; + 

I you beseech, that of your courtesy, + 

Since ye have heard this falsë Friar lie, + 

As suffer me I may my talë tell. + 

This Friar boasteth that he knoweth hell, + 

And, God it wot, that is but little wonder, + 

Friars and fiends be but little asunder. + 

For, pardie, ye have often time heard tell, + 

How that a friar ravish’d was to hell + 

In spirit onës by a visioún, + 

And, as an angel led him up and down, + 

To shew him all the painës that there were, + 

In all the place saw he not a frere; + 

Of other folk he saw enough in woe. + 

Unto the angel spake the friar tho; + 

‘Now, Sir,’ quoth he, ‘have friars such a grace, + 

That none of them shall come into this place?’ + 

‘Yes’ quoth the angel; ‘many a millioún:’ + 

And unto Satanas he led him down. + 

‘And now hath Satanas,’ said he, ‘a tail + 

Broader than of a carrack is the sail. + 

Hold up thy tail, thou Satanas,’ quoth he, + 

‘Shew forth thine erse, and let the friar see + 

Where is the nest of friars in this place.’ + 

And less than half a furlong way of space, + 

Right so as bees swarmen out of a hive, + 

Out of the devil’s erse there gan to drive + 

A twenty thousand friars on a rout. + 

And throughout hell they swarmed all about, + 

And came again, as fast as they may gon, + 

And in his erse they creeped every one: + 

He clapt his tail again, and lay full still. + 

This friar, when he looked had his fill + 

Upon the torments of that sorry place, + 

His spirit God restored of his grace + 

Into his body again, and he awoke; + 

But natheless for fearë yet he quoke, + 

So was the devil’s erse aye in his mind; + 

That is his heritage, of very kind. + 

God save you allë, save this cursed Frere; + 

My prologue will I end in this mannére. + 